The Gurkhas are feared
and renowned soldiers who have served as mercenaries for the British and
others for nearly 500 years. Their loyalty, ferocious bravery and soldiering
skills have gone unchallenged for most of that time, but their continued
existence has often been threatened by political machinations in Britain
and their native Nepal. However with the Kafer War still raging they play
an important part of the British and Commonwealth response to the Invasion.
Their ancestors
once fought bitter battles against Germans, Japanese and Russians, now
their modern counterparts fight to the death against the alien Kafers.
Today some 12 000 Gurkhas from both Nepal and colonies where Gurkhas have
settled serve with the British Army. Thousands more serve as mercenaries
in other armies in the Indian sub-continent and beyond.

Narrative

Lt Colonel Rai waited
quietly whilst the Japanese officers ran through their briefing, his face
impassive. Nothing betrayed his impatience with the supercilious Imperial
officer, even when he smiled unctuously at the Gurkha as he detailed the
role his battalion was to play. Like most Gurkhas he was fluent in several
languages and had enough Nihongo to pick up the patronising nuance that
was being directed toward himself, the Elysian brigadier and the American
paratroop colonel. Across from Rai a Japanese Colonial Defence Force officer
looked nervous, alert to the offence his superior was causing.

Rai left the command
post and was caught up by the colonial officer, who like the Gurkha, had
been born on Tirane. 'That man is an idiot,' he mused. 'I have the finest
light battalion for 10 light years and that popinjay has no idea of how
to use it.' Rai fumed, regretting that the rest of his brigade was now
operating in the German colony thousands of miles away. His eyes went
flint hard, 'there was a time when Gurkhas liked nothing better than butchering
Japanese. I think I understand why now.' The towering officer smiled widely
at the now nervous Japanese officer, 'come now, lets see how we can make
the best of these… unfortunate… orders.'

…

The men of B Company
were already digging fast in the earth loosened by digging charges as
the second wave of tiltwings brought the balance of the battalion in.
Behind them below the low, densely forested hills stood the vaulting arch
of the bridge which led across the Yakushima River into the agricultural
heartland of the colony. The Kafers had been thrown back from the bay
of Uwa-wan by a combination of ground and orbital firepower and were falling
back to re-group. The bridge behind them was the main axis for the Kafers
APCs which would have difficulty swimming the fast running Yakushima.

The Gurkhas of 5
RGR would be the anvil on which the Kafers would be destroyed with the
escape route over the bridge as the bait. Small arms fire was already
heavy around the perimeter as the first Kafer stragglers began to probe
the covering screen. Already a bitter struggle was in the woods as close
quarter firefights erupted in the tight confines of the trees. Gurkhas
and Kafers alike were overwhelmed by bullets, coherent light and steel.

Lt-Col Rai and his
Tac HQ came in with the second wave. The tactical situation was already
desperate and the incoming companies would have to fight hard just to
establish the defensive position as they came in piecemeal. The Japanese
plan was daring but misguided, Rai had complained but had no option but
to acquiesce to the plan. To refuse, the Japanese staff had intimated,
would have smacked of cowardice and stung, Rai declined to use his national
veto.

…

As Rai ran from the
JCDF tiltwing in the depths of the wood a young Gurkha finally slumped
to the ground, blood bubbling in his lungs. Around him lay the bodies
of his comrades and the aliens. The last decapitated with his kukri as
it fumbled to change a magazine. The soldier stared at the ruin of his
shattered arm as blood ran out in streams and inside a minute was dead.

The British and the
Gurkhas first came into contact when the Nepalese kingdom of Amarsing
Thapa began to encroach on northern India territory under the protection
of the East India Company at the start of the 19th Century. The resulting
war from 1814 to 1816 taught both sides an important lesson about each
others skills in battle and a mutual respect grew up rapidly. Even before
the end of the Anglo-Nepali fighting British officers impressed by the
cheerful robustness of their enemy, were planning to recruit battalions
of them. In April 1916 Lieutenant Young, a British officer who had been
captured by the Gurkhas during the fighting, received permission to raise
a battalion. This he did a Dehra Dun where the 'Sirmoor Battalion' (much
later 1 RGR) was created, it was the start of a long and glorious fighting
tradition.

19th Century

During the 19th Century
the stocky Gurkhas (at the time known as Goorkhas) slowly became one of
the recognised elite forces of the British Indian Army. They fought in
almost all of the conflicts and especially on the North West Frontier
against the constantly rebellious and warlike Pathans and other tribes
of the area, but also in Afghanistan and Burma.

However their greatest
fame came as a result of their steadfast loyalty during the Indian Sepoy
Mutiny in the middle of the century. Although restricted to one of the
three East India Company armies the Mutiny was a severe threat to British
domination of the sub-continent. Seriously outnumbered by their enemies
the European EIC regiments and the British Army units alongside them were
bolstered by the presence of the Gurkhas. Their performance in battle
and resitance to attempts to bring them over to the Mutineers reinforced
the respect they were held in by their British counterparts. The teamwork
of Gurkha units alongside the 60th Rifles led to the adoption of Rifle
regiment traditions by the Gurkhas.

20th Century

The 'Dark Century'
was naturally a time when the Gurkhas really came of age. In three World
Wars and the Retreat from Empire the Gurkhas were especially valuable.
In World War 1 the King of Nepal opened up his land to recruiters and
the Gurkha regiments expanded quickly, with more than 200 000 soldiers
volunteering to serve with the British. Gurkha units served on the Western
Front as well as in the Middle East against Turkey, notably at Gallipoli.
On the western front, practical problems emerged as British dug trenches
were too large for the diminutive Gurkhas and their tall European officers
proved easy prey for snipers. In France Rifleman Kulbir Thapa of the 2/3
Gurkhas won the first of many Gurkha VCs in 1915.

During the Second
World War the Gurkhas were again hugely expanded. They fought first in
North Africa and Iraq before playing a key role in the campaign against
Japan in the Far East with two entire battalions captured at Singapore
and four more heavily engaged in the retreat from Burma. The titanic struggle
against the Japanese was largely led by officers from Gurkha regiments
and in most front-line Indian Divisions 1/3rd of the infantry battalions
were Gurkhas. Other Gurkha units served in the famous, if controversial,
Chindit expeditions and some were converted to paratroopers. The bravery
of the Gurkhas in Burma was reflected in both in their reputation in the
eyes of the Japanese and the award of nine VCs. Lastly the Gurkhas of
the 8th Army went on to serve in Italy and fought at Monte Cassino and
other places. Over 250 000 Nepalese soldiers served in some 42 battalions
loosing over 7500 killed and many more injured.

The end of the war
saw the Independence of India and the end of the British Raj. The fate
of the Gurkhas was uncertain and eventually settled with six regiments
staying with the new Indian Army and four regiments becoming an integral
part of the British Army. The history of the Indian units is beyond the
scope of this article but is briefly mentioned in the section on the Independent
Gorkha Rifles. The Brigade of Gurkhas in British service were stationed
in the Far East with their training depot at Hong Kong. They served with
distinction in the long running Malayan Emergency and in Borneo during
the Confrontation with Indonesia winning another VC. Gurkhas also served
in the UK and Belize and the 1/7th Gurkha Rifles took part in the Falklands
War.

The loyalty and bravery
of the Gurkhas inspired immense affection in the UK but the military hierarchy
concerned mainly with the Cold War stand-off in Germany often questioned
the future of the Gurkhas. However increasing tension in the Middle East
and the Sino-Soviet War resulted in a quick expansion of the number of
Gurkha battalions in the mid-90s and their future was assured.

The Gurkhas served
on three major fronts in the 3rd World War. A single battalion, the 1/2nd
Gurkhas fought in northern Europe with the 1st Airborne Brigade. More
Gurkhas served in the Middle East in the Persian Gulf region notably during
the Battle of Bandar Abbas against Soviet paratroopers. However the bulk
of the Gurkhas were deployed in the 'Forgotten War' in China against the
Soviets. There the relatively inexperienced battalions were deployed as
part of 6th Division and earned a fine reputation in night patrolling
in north-eastern China and on the Yalu. However they suffered badly in
the nuclear exchanges and eventually returned to Hong Kong after the near
legendary 'Long March' across the disintegrating People's Republic of
China. Two more experienced battalions also served with Australian and
Malaysian led forces against Indonesia. Casualties topped 2000 killed,
mostly in 6 Division and 5 more VCs were won.

21st Century

In the aftermath
of WW3 the situation in Hong Kong required the British to provide a garrison,
something that the devastated British population could not support. Instead
they looked to replenish the Gurkhas that had saved the territory during
the war. The situation in Nepal was bad, with its own civil and ethnic
war whilst India had disintegrated into warring factions. With no little
daring links were opened once again to Nepal and recruitment began again.
The badly depleted battalions were consolidated to a strength of four
battalions, led by a core of Twilight veterans.

The Gurkhas were
once again to concentrate on their Far Eastern role maintaining the integrity
of Hong Kong and increasingly in piracy suppression and stabilising the
region. Gurkha units were often used in conjunction with the Royal and
French Navies in suppressing piracy in the South China Sea area, several
vicious conflicts with formed PLA units were undertaken in this time.
Several Gurkha units served in the Saudi War rotating through the theatre
as part of 16 Airborne Brigade, seeing action against their erstwhile
Iranian allies.

However the main
threat at the time was the Indonesian annexation of Malaysia and a Gurkha
battalion (1/10 GR) under contract to the Sultan of Brunei fought with
Malaysian forces in Borneo and was evacuated in good order after the armistice.
Anglo-French forces were stood by to intervene during the annexation of
Singapore and the Malay Peninsular, but eventually didn't. Relations with
Canton were also rocky a times and Gurkhas patrolled the border constantly.

The number of Gurkhas
serving with the British increased as the population of Britain continued
to fall in the aftermath of the Twilight Era and insufficient numbers
of volunteers were available to man the reduced regular army. Consequently
reinforcement companies of Gurkhas were recruited and integrated into
British battalions. This practise continued until the turn of the century
and at one time no fewer than ten companies were serving with British
battalions.

22nd Century

The start of the
2100's saw the world finally beginning to forget the horrors of the last
hundred years and the French Peace in full flow. The British population
had finally recovered and was climbing fast whilst British military requirements
shrunk. In the Far East Hong Kong's role as a westernised, loosely British
administered trading enclave for Canton had been formalised and its garrison
reduced. The future for the Gurkhas was again questioned with cheaper
Cantonese and Chinese mercenaries being recruited into the Hong Kong Defence
Force.

The four proud Gurkha
Rifle regiments were disbanded and the two battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles
raised in its stead. One battalion was retained in the Far East whilst
another remained in the UK to control the few remaining independent and
reinforcement companies. Meanwhile Nepal was undergoing a lengthy period
of political instability, resulting in the overthrow of the monarchy and
the installation of a republic which took its cues from Manchuria. Some
in Nepal wanted the recruitment of Gurkhas by Britain to cease but the
financial repercussions would have proven damaging to the state.

However in the late
2130's it became obvious that Indonesia was becoming an increasingly expansionist
state threatening the balance of power in South Asia. In response the
British decided to increase their garrison in the area, creating a proper
manoeuvre brigade to be based in Hong Kong. To man it the Brigade of Gurkhas
was revitalised, with each existing battalion creating another to double
the size to four RGR battalions. Three of these would provide the strength
of the new Gurkha Brigade in Hong Kong. This force trained widely with
British allies in the region swiftly becoming a well trained intervention
force.

In 2150 Britain and
Argentina 'faced off' over Britain's Antarctic territories and the UK
based 3 RGR was part of 6 Airborne Brigade flown in to reinforce the garrison
of the Falklands. The Gurkha Brigade itself was stood too for further
operations but the crisis passed with an Argentine climb-down. However
a few years later the Alpha Centauri War erupted but once again all out
confrontation with Argentina on Earth was avoided. The aftermath of the
war brought about the need to garrison British territories on the new
world of Tirane and colonies yet to be opened up. To cope with this the
British Army expanded the Gurkhas increased by a further three battalions
- 2nd/1st, 2nd/2nd and 2nd/3rd Battalions being formed from the RGR. At
this time their links to the historic Gurkha Rifles regiments was restored.

The end of the century
saw banditry become an increasing problem in British territories on Tirane.
To supplement regular battalions in harsh areas like the Southern Archipelago
and Pendragon Mountains the colonial Territorial Defence Forces both employed
Independent Gorkha Rifles units and formed their own paramilitary Gurkha
battalions. The North Albion Gurkhas and the South Albion Gurkha Rifles
were recruited from Nepal but lacked the comprehensive training of the
regulars but proved effective in the role given them, and manned no fewer
than seven battalions at their height. The commitment of Gurkhas to Tirane
saw many of them settle in New Albion which retains a large Nepali descended
population.

23rd Century

Gurkhas served in
virtually all of the colonies whilst continuing to fulfil their Terran
commitments. The 1st and 2nd Rio Plato Wars saw Britain revitalise her
armoured and intervention forces and the Gurkhas were also reformed. The
Gurkha Brigade was renamed the 1st Gurkha Brigade and changed to the new
Light Brigade structure whilst the remaining battalions were formed into
the new 2nd Gurkha Brigade. The aim was to retain one brigade with the
HKDF and have one brigade in the Light role, either on Earth or under
the auspices of the Light Division in the colonies.

Shortly after this
re-organisation the RGR was re-organised with the North Albion Gurkhas,
now surplus to requirements, brought into line as the 5th Battalion RGR.
The creation of 5 RGR caused some dissent in the ranks of the Gurkhas
as many of 5 RGR were Tirane born and regarded with some suspicion as
members of 5 RGR undertook Mountain Selection on Tirane away from the
intense competition of its counterpart on Earth. This was resolved somewhat
with the introduction of a unified Mountain Selection on Earth.

In 2240 the RGR was
again reformed with the disbandment of the South Albion Gurkha Rifles,
the remnants of which became 8 RGR. 2/1 RGR was renumbered as 6 RGR and
2/2 RGR as 7 RGR whilst 2/3 RGR was disbanded and the manpower used to
establish the Gurkha Recce Squadrons attached to the 1st and 2nd Brigades.
This has remained the structure to the present day.

The brigades settled
down to a period of steady soldiering, with the Cantonese-Indonesian War
being a cause of major concern to the Hong Kong based units which were
frequently called upon to suppress Indonesian backed piracy in the region.
1 RGR was one of the British battalions that operated under the French
during the Central Asian War, successfully undertaking counter-insurgency
operations in the mountains of the southern parts of the country. Other
Gurkha battalions would follow as part of Australian led peacekeeping
efforts.

The 2nd Gurkha Brigade
returned to earth from Beta Canum in 2297 after 4 RGR had served a tour
with the international Treaty of Darwin peacekeepers on Vogelheim. They
returned to Hong Kong freeing up 1st Brigade for Light Brigade duties
on Earth, where it was intended they remain in role for four years before
rotating to the French Arm for a tour of duty. However the Kafer War intervened.

Kafer War

The Invasion on 2301
caused the British to rapidly re-organise their French Arm defences. The
main move was to bring the powerful 79th Armoured Brigade to Beta Canum
from Joi, however to do so would strip the colony of New Cornwall of all
its defences. Consequently the 1st Gurkha Brigade (1,3 & 5 RGR) was
rushed up-Arm from Earth in an array of cruise liners before being shuttled
to Joi by the 1st Assault Flotilla. There the brigade took over defence
duties and began training for war, the brigade commander didn't dream
his troops would have to defend Joi but believed they would be used for
counter-attacks against the Kafers on other worlds.

However this did
not come to pass and the brigade remained on Joi as successive human worlds
fell to the aliens. They were stood-to for a possible move to reinforce
both BCV and Crater but the danger to Joi was increasing by the day. Finally
on the 15th of March 2302 strong Kafer ground assault forces landed on
Joi with the main effort directed at Tosashimizu and Halbinsel. New Cornwall
was hit by some orbital bombardment targeted at key installations as well
as several small commando-style diversionary raids soon mopped up by Gurkha
quick reaction forces. The human counter-attack and the defeat of the
Kafer fleet on the 20th of March freed up the forces of Britain, Azania,
Elysia and landing forces of the fleet to come to the aid of the hard
pressed Germans and Japanese.

The Japanese were
hardest pressed and were reinforced first by the Anglophone Joint Vogelheim
Brigade and soon after by the 1st Gurkha Brigade, with elements of the
Elysian Army coming up somewhat haphazardly. These forces went into reserve
while Japanese regulars and militia launched an offensive against the
faltering Kafer forces threatening the capital. Two days of bitter fighting
pushed the aliens back and the reserve was committed in a night assault
on the remnants the battle of the 'Pocket' managed to contain and destroy
the bulk of Kafer combat forces. The brigade then took part in three further
operations before moving across to Halbinsel to counter a Kafer offensive,
although 5 RGR remained behind for several more weeks.

Casualties in the
operations on Joi were relatively heavy as the brigade was constantly
committed to the schwerpunkt in operations in close, infantry friendly
terrain where casualties are inevitably heavy. However none of the brigade's
units ever lost cohesion and were soon reinforced after the Battle of
Beowulf, swelling the brigade to larger than its normal size. It continued
to operate in the north, helping to hunt down Kafer remnants and becoming
highly skilled in this role. In September 2302 the brigade was transferred
to BCV to replace the badly damaged 1st Light Brigade with the Light Division.
The brigade has seen near constant operations in the K-Zone and is thoroughly
combat hardened.

Recruitment and Training

Gurkha soldiers are
recruited from the Republic of Nepal by the British Ministry of Defence.
A single recruitment centre at Pokhara is responsible for the screening
and selection of volunteers in a process known as Mountain Selection.

The Gurkhas are not
the Nepali warrior caste, in fact they are mostly farmers despite their
fearsome reputation as soldiers. However the Gurkhas are outsiders within
Nepali society being outside of the political and economic elite, in fact
only the income they earn from soldiering gives them any political power
in Kathmandu. Whilst their soldiering skills and control of the Independent
Gorkha Rifles raises fears of potential coups in the minds of some politicians
who do their best to see the IGR's battalions are deployed as far away
from Nepal as possible.

Mountain selection
is run four times a year at Pokhara and young Gurkhas from across Nepal
come to try their luck, sometimes up to 40 000 volunteers in a single
year. They are screened for any medical conditions and tested for suitability,
those that come through the screening enter Mountain Selection proper
and undergo a range of punishing physical tests. These usually involve
the age old tests of running up and down hills carrying heavy loads and
only the cream - less than 5% are accepted. For some failure is a disgrace,
although instances of suicide are now few and far between.

The lucky few are
then sent to the Brigade of Gurkhas Depot located in the New Territories
of Hong Kong. The basic training program lasts for two years, bringing
the young Gurkha up to speed in the use of all equipment in use with the
battalions as well as giving an more advanced education than usually available
in Nepal. It is normal for each intake to be divided into two large companies,
one manned from recruits from the east and the other from the west of
Nepal. It is a very testing course by British Army standards but the drop
out rate is minimal in comparison.

Once the basic training
has been completed the Rifleman is assigned to one of the battalions of
the Royal Gurkha Rifles. From there they are treated as a normal British
soldier and has a vast array of training courses available. The Gurkha
will serve with the battalion for at least four years before any other
options open up. These include transferring to non-infantry parts of the
Brigade of Gurkhas, elite units or leadership training, either as commissioned
or non-commissioned officers.

The standard term
of service is between 15 and 20 years and most Gurkhas will complete their
entire service as a Rifleman. Once this period is up the Gurkha is discharged
either with a sizeable pension and returned to Nepal, or if serving on
a colony world discharged in place with a land grant. With Nepal increasingly
crowded this is a popular choice and most British colonies have small
Gurkha communities.

Retention in the
Gurkhas is extremely high, and generally either injury or being 'head-hunted'
by the IGR will cause a Gurkha to buy himself out of the Brigade of Gurkhas.

There are British
soldiers within the Brigade of Gurkhas, but these are exclusively officers.
Today the ratio of Gurkha to British officers is in the ratio of 65:35
and many of the British officers are following a family career in the
Brigade. The British officers are hand-picked from the Royal Military
Academies and those outside the top 20% are not considered and their physical
fitness must be superb. On leaving the RMA they attend the Infantry Commander's
Course and then a six month training stint at the Depot.

Each of the RGR battalions
recruits from different areas of Nepal. 1, 2, 6 and 7 RGR recruit from
amongst the Magars and Gurungs of western Nepal. 3 and 4 RGR recruit from
amongst the Sunwars, Rais and Limbus of eastern Nepal. 5 and 8 RGR recruit
from across Nepal and from Nepali communities in Wellon and elsewhere.

Organisation

The Brigade of Gurkhas
is a force over 10 000 soldiers strong and acts almost as a corps in its
own right. The vast majority of troops belong to the battalions and companies
of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, the infantry component of the Brigade. However
Gurkhas also serve in Engineer, Artillery, Signals and Logistics formations
assigned to support the 1st and 2nd Gurkha Brigades.

The Royal Gurkha
Rifles

Below:
Capbadge
of the RGR on the regimental stable belt colours

1st (1/2nd Sirmoor
Rifles) Battalion

1 RGR is the senior-most
unit of the Brigade, tracing its history back to the formation of the
Sirmoor Battalion from prisoners of the Gurkha War. It was this unit that
served alongside the 60th Rifles during the Mutiny and started the Rifle
tradition in the Gurkhas. It also took the 60th Rifles' colour scheme
of red facings on a green uniform and uses these colours in its distinctive
rank insignia today.1
RGR is currently assigned to the 1st Gurkha Brigade and has seen action
on Joi and is now deployed in BCV's K-Zone.

2nd (1/6th Rifles)
Battalion

2 RGR traces its
history to the 6th Gurkha Rifles, a unit that formed from a unit originally
made up of non-Gurkhas that only became fully manned by Gurkhas in 1886.
This unit served for 80 years of its early existence in the north east
of India, however it earned a fine reputation during the 1st World War
in the fighting at Gallipoli. It became something of a breeding ground
for excellent officers providing most of the generals who ran the Burma
campaign of WW2 including Field Marshall Slim. Today it is a part of the
2nd Gurkha Brigade and is stationed in Hong Kong on Earth.

3rd (7th Rifles)
Battalion

3 RGR is descended
from the 7th Gurkha Rifles and has had a somewhat convoluted administrative
history throughout its existence. Uniquely it has served in every South
Atlantic confrontation with Argentina since the 1980's. It is a part of
the 1st Gurkha Brigade and is stationed in New Africa on BCV.

4th (10th Rifles)
Battalion

4 RGR takes the lineage
of the 10th Gurkha Rifles, originally raised as a police battalion in
Burma in 1887 from ex-Indian Army soldiers, mainly Gurkhas. It was soon
regularised due to its excellent performance. The battalion recruits from
the eastern areas of Nepal. It is a part of the 2nd Gurkha Brigade and
is stationed in Hong Kong on Earth.

5th (North Albion)
Battalion

5 RGR is different
from the majority of the RGR battalions having no link to the old British
Indian Army. Instead it traces its history back only 110 years to units
of Gurkhas raised by the North Albion Defence Force for paramilitary service
in the Pendragon Mountains of Wellon. The North Albion Gurkhas replaced
regular RGR and IGR units in helping suppress banditry in the region and
expanded to three battalions. However once the threat had passed the units
were due to be disbanded but the British Army stepped in to recruit the
cream of the unit to form a regular battalion. It has been seen as something
of an interloper by the other Gurkhas and continues to recruit from Nepali
communities in Wellon as well as from Nepal proper. The battalion has
always had to strive hard for acceptance and is noted for its stringent
attitude to soldiering. Its performance in the Kafer War has finally gained
it a measure of equality. It is a part of the 1st Gurkha Brigade and is
stationed in New Africa.

6th (2/2nd Sirmoor
Rifles) Battalion

6 RGR like 1 RGR,
takes its traditions from the 2nd Gurkha Rifles. It was formed in the
2150's as the 2nd/1st Battalion, RGR but was re-designated as 6 RGR in
2240. However links between 1 and 6 RGR remain strong and they share the
same uniform distinctions. Currently 6 RGR is a part of the international
peacekeeping force deployed in the Central Asian Republic where it is
assigned to the mountainous and tense southern sector.

7th (2/6th) Battalion

7 RGR comes from
the same 6th Gurkha Rifles lineage as 2 RGR, originally being raised as
2/2 RGR. It is currently the British resident battalion on the Sovereign
Base Area on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

8th (South Albion)
Battalion

Like 5 RGR, 8 RGR
has its roots in units raised for service on Tirane, this time in Southern
Archipelago. The South Albion Defence Force at one time raised no fewer
than 5 battalions to serve in the sprawling region in a long running counter-insurgency
style campaign. When the Dominion of Wellon formed the force was down
to a single battalion, which the British regularised within the RGR. 8
RGR found acceptance a little easier than did 5 RGR but still has a separate
culture to the other traditional battalions. It is a part of the 2nd Gurkha
Brigade and is stationed in Hong Kong on Earth.

1 Gurkha Reconnaissance
Group

1 Gurkha Recce Group
was originally formed from a bulk of personnel drawn from the old 2/3
RGR, it continues to take its traditions from that formation, however
its personnel now come from across the RGR. It is composed of three separate
elements; an armoured recce squadron, a close recce company and an independent
REWS troop. In common with the other light formations these take names
after their parent formations although they fulfil similar roles. These
sub-units are:

These units are controlled
by a Group HQ which operates hand in glove with Brigade (and Divisional)
operations and intelligence staff. In total there are some 200 personnel,
all experienced infantry soldiers. It is responsible for reconnaissance
and screening of its brigade between 20 and 150km beyond the brigade's
forward troops.

2 Gurkha Reconnaissance
Group

2 Gurkha Recce Group
has the same roots as its counterpart in 1 Brigade and the same role.
However as 2 Gurkha Bde is relatively static elements of the Recce Gp
are frequently deployed in support of UK operations elsewhere on Terra.
In particular 2 Gurkha Ind Para Coy is serving with 6 RGR in the Central
Asian Republic. Its constituent units are:

The RGR also supports
a fluctuating number of Training Support Companies which are assigned
to various British training establishments to act as enemy. Assignment
to these companies is usually given to soldiers recuperating from injury
and to allow them a period of stability. They are noted for their ability
to imitate a number of different doctrines and tactics. No.1 and No.3
Training Support Companies are assigned to the Royal Military Academy,
Sandhurst and No.2 to the School of Infantry at Brecon.

Gurkha Support
Units

In addition to the
infantry of the RGR the Brigade of Gurkhas also provides the manpower
for an array of combat support and service support units. These include
artillery, engineers, logisticians, signallers, medical staff and electronic
warfare specialists.

No Gurkha can be
assigned to these duties until they have finished a 4 year stint in a
rifle battalion. They are then sent off to conduct the appropriate training
with the Corps they will be working with. This system of re-training rifleman
has produced specialists who are much tougher than the ordinary rear area
troops. In particular soldiers of 1 Gurkha Logistics Regiment fought off
numerous attacks on the lines of communications by Kafers on Joi with
an alacrity not usually found in logistics soldiers.

The various combat
support and combat service support units differ from RGR units by including
a higher proportion of non-Gurkha officers and also non-commissioned solders.

There are two front-line
fighting formations composed almost entirely of Gurkhas, the 1st and 2nd
Gurkha Brigades. These are infantry formations based on the Light Brigade
2295 Order of Battle shared by Light, Gurkha and Airborne Brigades. The
brigades are essentially independent, self supporting infantry brigade
groups. As a light brigade all its troops are parachute qualified and
have undertaken the Gurkha or All Arms Airborne Courses. Its main units
are:

3 light role infantry
units

1 direct support
light artillery unit

1 field engineering
sub-unit

1 independent
close support logistics unit

1 independent
medical sub-unit

Command of the brigade
rests with the Brigadier and his staff, supported by the Brigade Command
and Signals Squadron. In addition the brigade had its own small reconnaissance
group composed of:

1 armoured reconnaissance
sub-unit

1 close reconnaissance
sub-unit

1 tactical electronic
warfare and security detachment.

1st Gurkha Brigade

The 1st Gurkha Bde
is currently deployed to New Africa on BCV and is under command of the
Commonwealth Light Division under V Corps. The Brigade is over-strength
due to a miscalculation about casualty rates during the fighting on Joi
resulting in an excess of replacements being sent to the formation. The
brigade remains one of the strongest on BCV and is rated as an extremely
efficient unit following months of patrolling and small actions in the
K-Zone in addition to QRF taskings. It has acquired a vast array of vehicles
in its time in New Africa and can generate hover-mobile columns of considerable
firepower as well as operating on foot or in the airmobile role.

On its formation
the Brigade adopted the black cat symbol worn by the 17th Indian Division
of WW2, which included many Gurkha battalions. Since the fighting in Toshasimizu
on Joi the brigade has been known informally by the title of the Black
Cat Brigade or Kuroneko Ryodan, and the Japanese characters have
become an unofficial marking on brigade vehicles.

The 2nd Gurkha Bde
is based in Hong Kong as part of the enclave's Defence Force. It has provided
numerous reinforcement drafts for the 1st Gurkha Bde but has now been
brought back up to strength with new recruits coming out of the Depot.
The Bde is part of the UK's strategic reserve in the area and can find
itself operating with UKJRF elements staging out of the UK or exercising
with UK allies. In particular the Bde exercises frequently with Australian,
New Zealand and American units and less often with Cantonese, Japanese
and other forces.

The brigade also
finds units for peacekeeping missions. As part of its defence role it
patrols the border between Canton and the enclave for illegal immigrants
and smugglers. The brigade uses a pair of crossed kukris on a red background
as its symbol. It has only just been equipped with Bowman CW's.

With the exception
of 7 RGR (an Infantry Battalion General Service) the bulk of the Gurkha
infantry battalions are organised on the Infantry Battalion Light scale.
These are versatile front-line combat formations that can undertake a
range of operations in all terrain and weather conditions. Light infantry
rely on physical fitness and mastery of infiltration tactics to survive
on the modern battlefield, yet they also possess the human 'touch' that
can be used to great effect in operations other than war. These men are
all trained as paratroopers in addition to being skilled in airmobile
and amphibious techniques.

Each battalion is
composed of the following:

3 Rifle Companies

1 Reconnaissance
Company

1 Support Company

1 Headquarters
Company

However they also
receive assets from the brigade or from other battalions depending on
the task and so are normally designated as Battle Groups when deployed.
The battalion Commanding Officers are normally very experienced soldiers
who will probably have served on Earth and in the colonies and on secondment
to a Commonwealth Army. Thus they will have understanding of a whole range
of operations and co-operative assignments. Frequently on detached operations
the CO will often be the senior British military official on a given world,
they are dominating figures in their battalions.

Rifle Companies

The rifle companies
are organised in a fairly conventional manner with each containing 3 rifle
platoons and a HQ element. Support from the battalion is usually assigned
to the company in the shape of Mortar Platoon forward observers, machine
gunners, combat walkers, drones and possibly snipers and pioneers. The
resulting Company Group is a potent formation in its own right, capable
of undertaking almost any colonial troubleshooting or peacekeeping task
whilst also being an effective manoeuvre sub-unit in conventional operations.
Companies are led by Majors.

The rifle platoons
are composed of three sections and a platoon HQ, each platoon is composed
of 29 men at full strength. Platoons are led by either a Lieutenant or
a Colour Sergeant if no officers are available, with a Sergeant as second
in command (2 i/c). In addition a signaller (electronic/information warfare
specialist) and two platoon weapons operators are part of the HQ. The
platoon commander with his signaller in tow are in charge of the tactical
handling of the platoon. The platoon sergeant and two weapon ops are responsible
for administration, ammo resupply, casevac, handling of reserves and co-ordination
of fire support. In conventional operations the platoons will always operate
as a close, integral part of the company, but in other operations may
be dispersed widely down to the section level.

Sections in the brigade
are organised to carry a great deal of firepower whilst retaining inherent
tactical flexible. Each section has eight soldiers, commanded by a Corporal
and a Lance Corporal in support and divided into two four man fireteams.
Each fireteam consists of a Commander, Front Gunner, Rear Gunner and Plasma
Gunner. The commander is armed with a rifle, the front gunner with a short
barrelled VR5 and these two usually work as a team. The rear and plasma
gunners are armed with a VR5 and LPW, and are grouped in to a 'Vickers
Team'. This structure gives the section immense firepower and flexibility.
Although not rifle equipped one man in each section is a qualified Sharpshooter
and can be taken out of the section to perform that specialist duty. The
battalions of the 1st Gurkha Brigade are over-strength and sections can
have a strength of up to ten soldiers.

Reconnaissance Company

A dedicated recce
company is unique to light role battalions. It consists of three platoons,
Reconnaissance Platoon, Patrols Platoon, Drone Platoon and the Sniper
Section. Each of which is commanded by a captain whilst the Snipers are
led by a captain or sergeant-major. The role of the recce company is to
provide timely and accurate data for the CO to control the battlespace
and maintain his situational awareness. They can also be tasked with screening
duties, flank protection, raids and harassing tasks, in addition to being
assigned to brigade tasks. The large concentration of recce assets is
due to the large distances the battle group has to cover in many of its
tasks. The soldiers of the recce company are usually the most experienced
or promising in the battalion, many go on to serve in brigade recce units
or to special forces.

Recce platoon is
the most mobile using specially equipped Quads to roam far in front of
the battalion. Patrol Platoon specialises in foot born recce and covert
OP duties, however both of these platoons are essentially interchangeable.
Drone Platoon operates a number of air and ground RPV's and also has 1
EOD drone and a specialist operator on attachment from the engineers.
The Snipers have 16 men trained in the latest concealment and surveillance
techniques. Whilst they are all highly skilled marksmen they are most
often used to supplement the patrols platoon and will usually call in
indirect fire-support than risk closing on a target for a killing shot.

Support Company

Support companies
contain a battalion's integral support assets. This includes the Mortar
Platoon, Direct Fire Platoon, Assault Pioneer Platoon, Anti-Tank Platoon,
Combat Walker Platoon and Anti-Aircraft Section. All these units are commanded
by Captains, except the Pioneers and Anti-Aircraft who are commanded by
Colour Sergeants. All of these units rely on Quads as their prime movers.

Mortar Platoon has
nine lightweight 120mm mortars to fire indirect support of the rifle companies,
it also has four three man teams of forward observers called Mortar Fire
Controllers or MFC who are attached to companies to co-ordinate fire support.
MFC's are also qualified to call in artillery, but few have the training
to bring in strike aircraft although most would be willing to try given
the opportunity.

Direct Fire Platoon
is equipped with a mixture of heavy plasma weapons and large calibre machine
guns, normally with 12 firing posts with 4 attached to each company. Direct
Fire Platoon provides high volumes of fire to support infantry attacks
and defensive tasks. Assault Pioneers are trained as combat engineers
and provide immediate support to the battalion, if the task is too big
for the pioneers then support is requested from the brigade's Royal Gurkha
Engineers.

Anti-Tank and Anti-Aircraft
units are normally deployed under the command of the CO but as part of
a brigade armour and aircraft defence plan. Anti-Tank is a large platoon
with some 24 Green Hunter firing posts deployed in 6 post sections. Anti-Aircraft
section has six Darter missile systems. Combat Walker Platoon is a powerful
asset equipped with 24 Bowman-A combat walkers, a fast, robust and effective
weapon system.

Headquarters Company

HQ Company consists
of all the elements required to command, train and administer the battalion.
These include a Signals Platoon, Quarter Master Platoon, MT Platoon and
a Regimental Aid Post.

To command the Battle
Group in action the CO has his Tactical HQ, or Tac 1. This consists of
the CO, his signaller/bodyguards, various support platoon commanders,
attached specialists and most importantly the commander of the artillery
battery in direct support of the battalion. This group allows the CO to
operate just behind his forward elements and to see what is going on.
Tac 1 operates from a number of Quads but often simply moves by foot.

Tac 2 is organised
virtually identically to Tac 1 and is commanded by the Battalion 2 i/c,
a Major. If the CO is killed, injured or out of contact then the 2 i/c
can take over virtually instantly and continue fighting the battle. The
remainder of the personnel man Battalion Main, commanded by the Adjutant
which takes care of routine admin for the CO leaving him free to fight
his battle.

QM and MT personnel
combine to create A and B Echelons which are responsible for collecting
supplies and ammo from brigade and getting them up to the battalion. The
RAP has a number of highly trained medical orderlies who are responsible
for collecting casualties and the getting them to the RAP usually using
Quads. The RAP has a number of light automed units however it is brigade
policy to get casualties to the Field Ambulance and on to a hospital facility
as soon as possible.

Equipment
and Uniform

Equipment for the
Gurkhas is identical to that used by other British Army Light Role troops.
The heaviest vehicle being the Craufurd armoured recce vehicle employed
by the Brigades' Armoured Recce Companies. The most common head dress
is the rifle green beret with unit specific capbadge, although bush hats
are also worn.

Dress uniform for
the RGR is in rifle green with the Gurkha bush hat, and unit specific
collar badges and trim. For example 1 RGR wear old 2 GR collar badges,
their distinctive red trim and a patch of their red and black diced band
on the side of their hat. 4 RGR have their black trim and the traditional
elephant badge on the left arm.

The traditional fighting
knife/short sword of the Gurkhas is still issued to every Gurkha soldier
and has changed little over the centuries. It is also popular with British
and other troops for jungle operations and is a common barter item. It
is curved with a heavy, blunt back edge and is a superb cutting weapon.

This is a non-standard
vehicle jury-rigged by engineers attached to 1 Gurkha Bde on BCV. It is
a conversion of the common Dragoon MAS supply vehicle to allow the delivery
of a full section of troops or support a QRF column with heavy close-in
firepower. The usual load pallet has been replaced by an open topped armoured
box and a number of pintle mounts to supplement the usual mini-turret
with LPW and 7.5mm machine gun. The weapons load usually consists of two
Green Hunter firing posts, two 12mm heavy machine guns and a 25mm cannon
although almost any load can be carried.

The brigade has around
ten converted Dragoons but several other units now possess these vehicles.
The most common role is to use them as the core of a QRF column including
Hover Rovers, Hawkers and other Dragoons carrying drones and supplies.
Although they have also been used to insert patrols into the edges of
the K-Zone, their firepower increasing the chance of surviving a Kafer
ambush.

Culture

'... No one
would have dreamed of taking offence; it would have been downright cruel,
for the Gurkha was as eager to please as a playful grandchild. The thought
of quarrelling with one of them never even occured - for one thing, you'd
be better picking a fight with a king cobra.'

The Gurkhas have
a unique culture which has become an integral part of their mystique over
the centuries. Prime amongst these is the sheer physical bravery of the
Gurkhas and their willingness to close with the enemy and engage them
hand-to-hand. Quite what motivates these soldiers to the levels of ferocity
documented through the years is unknown. Their reputation proceeds them
and can demoralise opposition forces before they come into contact. Indeed
the Gurkhas of the 1st Brigade are revelling in their confrontation with
the Kafers, an enemy they see as worthy of them. What the Kafers think
of the Gurkhas is not known.

One characteristic
of the Gurkha soldier in the ease with which they are trained and the
discipline they demonstrate. During training the young Gurkha recruit
will listen and follow precisely the instructions they are given. Once
so instructed the Gurkha will continue to use exactly the technique taught
and will only modify it very slowly in the light of practical experience.
This approach is typical of the entire Brigade of Gurkhas who approach
things by the manual and never take short cuts. Whilst usually a strength
this rigidity is also a weak point of the Gurkhas as they can be slow
to adapt to new tactics and techniques.

The Gurkhas are best
known within the British Army for their exceptional physical fitness,
especially when compared to the average British soldier. This is a result
of the fact that even in modern Nepal most movement is still conducted
on foot across the high Himalayas and most goods are carried by hand.
The Gurkhas are exceptionally hardy being able to manpack very heavy loads
across rough ground at very high speeds. Indeed Gurkha teams have been
known to cover 160 kilometres in under 11 hours during speed marching
competitions. This fitness is a key factor in the soldiering excellence
of the Gurkhas, they stay fresh longer and do not take short cuts in their
drills. Gurkhas take maintaining this fitness very seriously and show
contempt to any Gurkha who does not do likewise.

The loyalty and humour
of the Gurkhas is also well known. The Gurkhas do not let their friends
and comrades down under any circumstances. However despite their fearsome
reputation the Gurkhas are a very friendly breed with a natural communal
comradeship. They remain irrepressible and love horseplay and playing
jokes on one another. The Gurkhas also love drinking, something they share
with their British comrades. The Gurkhas are Hindus and have their own
temples, priests, ceremonies and dietary requirements. Their goat curry
is a favourite amongst British soldiers serving alongside them.

In their own ranks
the Gurkhas converse in Gurkhali, the learning of which is a must for
any British soldier in a Gurkha unit. However they all also learn English
during their basic training and must show a reasonable aptitude in it
before being posted to a serving unit.

Service in the Gurkhas
is a tradition in many families with many now on a tenth or more generation
serving in the ranks of a particular battalion. In particular service
with specific units within the brigade is desired. Many recruits have
also served in the British Gurkha Schools which have been established
across the Gurkha areas of Nepal to provide a basic education. Gurkhas
generally desire to spend their entire time in the service to qualify
for a pension and very few buy themselves out of the service. This is
because on their return to Nepal with their savings and pension these
soldiers are very wealthy in Nepalese society and can provide very well
for their families.

Like all British
regiments the Gurkhas have their own bands. The individual battalions,
as befits their rifle heritage, have buglers however there are also two
Gurkha Bands which are Pipes and Drums in the Scottish tradition. One
of these is stationed in Hong Kong, the other was with the 1st Gurkha
Brigade on Joi where it has combined its music with their combat role
as medical orderlies.

After the Indian
Mutiny the 2nd Gurkhas were awarded a third colour in recognition of their
valour alongside the 60th Rifles. However with their adoption of rifle
traditions (including the 140 paces per minute marching pace) they no
longer carried colours, Queen Victoria herself intervened so that the
new honour would not be lost. In the stead of colours the 'Queen's Truncheon'
would be carried and bestowed with all the honours normally invested in
the colours. This tradition passed to the RGR on its creation. The Truncheon
is carried by a 'Truncheon Jemadar' who is always a Gurkha officer.

British attitudes
to the Gurkhas are very favourable, they are seen as brave and faithful
troops and lionised by the popular press. Some are concerned by the employment
of mercenary soldiers but these attitudes rarely gain any political support.
British soldiers respect their Gurkha colleagues, whilst acknowledging
that their own regiments are better, and are glad to serve alongside them.

Role Playing Hints

To generate a Gurkha
character the player needs to choose Nepalese citizenship or be a British
officer. The potential Gurkha must have an Endurance of at least 12.

Author's
Note: Although not a part of the British Brigade of Gurkhas a brief note
on the Independent Gorkhas will be included here.

The independent Gorkha
Rifles are one of the largest mercenary forces in existence and although
nominally belonging to Nepal they soldier for the highest bidder. Their
history is a long and involved one. They are descended from the Gurkha
units that stayed with the Indian Army on Independence, and in the years
before the Twilight they expanded strongly and were in the front-line
of India's conflicts with Pakistan and China. They were also strongly
engaged in the Twilight War, further consolidating their reputation.

However India soon
began to break apart, firstly with Punjab succeeding then several other
regions. The Gorkhas were in the fore front of the Indian military effort
against the secessionists but Indian politicians proved unable to build
on the military success of the force and the struggle proved futile. Indeed
in the 2030's with Hindu Nationalists in power in New Delhi the establishment
turned against the use of mercenaries and disbanded the Gorkhas, offering
positions in Indian regiments to the soldiers.

Rather than accept
the disbandment of their regiments several Regimental Colonels offered
their services to the other Indian States, which were gladly accepted.
Soon the various colonels banded together to form the Regimental Council
to ensure their units did not end up fighting each other. This body eventually
formalised with representatives of the Nepali government sitting on the
council to give the body some political legitimacy. They again consolidated
their reputations in the fighting between the Indian States, most units
served on long contracts with individual states although the any of the
battalions stationed in Nepal could be hired at short notice.

In the late 22nd
century the Gorkhas began to expand from their base in the Indian States.
The British hired a handful of battalions to help police their new colonies
when their own forces were overstretched. A further widening of their
skills saw an expansion into peacekeeping with some battalions specialising
in these operations and being available for rapid deployment. Lastly for
more subtle operations from reconnaissance to body-guarding another unit
began to specialise in small unit operations.

The Gorkhas operate
under the auspices of the Republic of Nepal, which tolerates the operations
of these units for the income it generates and employs some battalions.
However contracts are only accepted on the agreement of the Regimental
Council which will generally turn down any contract which may bring Gorkhas
into conflict or may have a prejudicial effect on the reputation of the
unit. Britain has an influence on the Gorkhas, both by hiring them on
occasions but also as most of the officer corps has been trained in the
UK and served with the RGR. Troops are recruited and trained through separate
arrangements, and are generally less well trained than their RGR counterparts.

The size of the Independent
Gorkhas fluctuates from 7 battalions to over 20 depending on the state
of affairs in the Indian States and beyond. This expansion is usually
undertaken by mobilising reservists in Nepal, both from Independent and
RGR sources, consequently there is only a limited drop in soldier quality.
The Gorkhas are purely an infantry formation.

The 1st
Gorkha Rifles (Malaun Regiment)

1 GR is the oldest
of all the Gurkha units. Today it specialises in peacekeeping operations,
sending leaders at its own expense to centres of excellence such as the
International Peace Support Training Centre in Canada. It is a well disciplined
and turned out unit and is frequently hired by countries to perform peacekeeping
missions in the stead of their own combat troops, as many nations believe
peacekeeping degrades the combat effectiveness of units.

3 GR is
an un-specialised regiment that normally provides light role units. It
has a long running contract with the Hong Kong Defence Force and one of
its battalions is deployed there. This link has resulted in 3 GR being
well up to date with modern British doctrine and techniques and although
more expensive to contract than other regiments is often hired on short
term intervention contracts by the Indian states.

1st Battalion
(1/3 GR) - Nepal
2nd Battalion (2/3 GR) - HKDF

The 4th
Gorkha Rifles

4 GR are
another un-specialised regiment. They have one battalion serving in the
Shan States of Burma in the counter-insurgency role.

1st Battalion
(1/4 GR) - Burma2nd Battalion
(2/4 GR) - Nepal

The 5th
Gorkha Rifles (Royal Frontier Force)

5 GR are
one of the most famous of the Independent Gorkhas. During the Central
Asian War they were under contract to the French, shoring up the southern
flank and operating against insurgents in the mountains. Today one battalion
is operating on BCV with the Indian States' International Brigade.

8 GR are
in a poor financial condition following a near disastrous contract with
Madras, which resulted in serious casualties and wasn't paid due to
a change in government. As a result the unit is next in line for a contract.

1st Battalion
(1/8 GR) - Nepal

The 9th
Gorkha Rifles

9 GR have
had a long running relationship with the Bombay Army since the 2040's.
The regiment trains its soldiers and officers in Bombay Army establishments
consequently it has quite a different culture to the other regiments.
Today the regiment has two battalions assigned to the Bombay Army's Para-Mech
Brigade.

11 GR was
formed in the aftermath of Indian Independence to provide a home for
individual Gurkhas from British regiments who opted to stay with India.
Today it is a specialised formation providing small recce teams, body
guards and paramilitary police squads.